Self-propelled, intraluminal device with working channel and method of use

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatus and method for providing access of a medical instrument, such as a surgical instrument, from a point outside the patient's body to a point within a body lumen, such as a portion of the Gastro-intestinal tract. A self propelled device, such as a capsule having electrodes for providing contraction of lumen tissue, can be positioned within the body lumen at a desired location. The medical instrument can be directed through a working channel associated with the capsule to access the body lumen tissue through the capsule.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a medical device that self-propels within a lumen of a patient's body.BACKGROUNDA physician typically accesses and visualizes tissue within a patient's gastrointestinal (GI) tract with a long, flexible endoscope. For the upper GI, a physician may insert a gastroscope into the sedated patient's mouth to examine and treat tissue in the esophagus, stomach, and proximal duodenum. For the lower GI, a physician may insert a colonoscope through the sedated patient's anus to examine the rectum and colon. Some endoscopes have a working channel, typically about 2.5-3.5 mm in diameter, extending from a port in the handpiece to the distal tip of the flexible shaft. A physician may insert medical instruments into the working channel to help diagnose or treat tissues within the patient. Physicians commonly take tissue biopsies from the mucosal lining of the GI tract using a flexible, biopsy forceps through the working channel of the endoscope...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

During each procedure, a physician typically needs to pass medical instruments in and out of the colon numerous times. Current endoscopes have working channels (also called biopsy channels) for passing instruments into the lumen for performing procedures on the lumen wall with endoscopic visualization. It is important that variations of a self-propelled intraluminal device also have such an integral working channel for the passage of instruments into the lumen, rather than requiring that a separate endoscope with a working channel be pulled behind the self-propelled device. Reducing what must be carried into the lumen may minimize the contractile force of the luminal walls required for self-propulsion of the device. In addition, the need for a conventional endoscope may be completely eliminated, along with associated costs, if a self-propelled device also had an integral working channel for performing diagnosis and/or therapy inside the lumen.

Currently physicians also use stains such as methylene blue dye, or contrast agents such as indigo carmine, to identify diseased tissu

Problems solved by technology

Insertion of a flexible endoscope, especially into the colon, is usually a very time-consuming and uncomfortable procedure for the patient, even when sedated with drugs.

This stretching can cause pain to the patient even though sedation is used.

Depending on the anatomy of the patient and the skill of the physician in manipulating the flexible endoscope, some portions of the colon may be unexamined, thus increasing the risk of undiagnosed disease.

Applying diagnostic agents may be messy and require special additional steps during and after the examination procedure, including the thorough removal of the diagnostic agent from the endoscope prior to reuse on another patient.

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